One method for attaching voiders or sleeves of mail

[Sir Rodney]

This is a cross-post of a response I made on the myArmoury thread Best way to attach maille voiders to the arming doublet?

I’ll share what's worked for me while fighting rattan combat for many years. I can’t say it’s historically accurate, or the best method, only that it’s worked for me.

I have mail sleeves, not voiders, but the method should work the same.
- Run a cord through the outermost rings along the entire perimeter of the voider and tie the two ends together (in back where it’s less noticeable).
- Fit the voider over your arming coat while wearing it (a friend or squire helps a lot).
- Mark locations on your coat to place pairs of button holes spaced every 2 to 4 inches apart or so.
- Once the button holes have been sewn, thread short leather thongs through each pair.
- Tie locations are marked by inserting a copper ring into the mail for ease of future assembly.
- Tie on your voider going “behind” the cord and ring at each location.
- Enjoy   

Photo #1 You can see the tie placement for my missing sleeve as well as my mail skirt
Photo #2 Close up of the sleeve
Photo #3 With the rest of the mail bits attached
Photo #4 With the hard bits attached

[Sir Patrick]

Great post!  I just whip stitched mine on last season, and now they have to come off so I can launder my gambeson. This is a great alternative to sewing every year!

[Sir William]

Very cool, milord.  I'm lucky, I'm not looking to join you 14C mafia types just yet. 

[Sir Robert]

This is a good method, arming points with leather ties in a similar fashion are commonly used but I like the buttons. The cord through the perimeter rings as well as in strategic point in the voiders are also good to preserve flexibility and keep the maile from moving about. I have long thought to make voiders (in fact ever time I put on my arming jacket) just have yet to get on with it. Thanks for the write-up its very good. 

[Sir Rodney]

Very cool, milord.  I'm lucky, I'm not looking to join you 14C mafia types just yet.   

In time...

I have long thought to make voiders (in fact ever time I put on my arming jacket) just have yet to get on with it.

I took the easy route.  I purchased an Icefalcon hauberk during one of his sales and simply cut it apart for sleeves and a skirt.   

[Ian]

So you're pointing the skirt to the garment?  I've mostly seen skirts belted on so you can guarantee the weight's all on the hips.  Does the weight of it pull on your shoulders?

[Sir Rodney]

So you're pointing the skirt to the garment?  I've mostly seen skirts belted on so you can guarantee the weight's all on the hips.  Does the weight of it pull on your shoulders?

No, I have very little weight pulling on my shoulders.  The arming coat fits well (especially these last 2 years  ) and distributes the weight nicely.  What’s difficult to see is that the skirt overlaps itself a little and ties snugly after the coat is buttoned, as if it’s hung from my hips.

I know the skirt’s probably not hung in a historically accurate manner (none that I’ve been able to document anyway).  My intention was to have everything pointed to the coat and be able to shrug it all off in one fell swoop after combat.  To this end it works well.  I can be completely unarmoured from the thighs up and sitting in the shade sucking water in less than 60 seconds.   

[Sir Nate]

Very nice. I think this is the first time I've seen your kit.

[Sir James A]

So you're pointing the skirt to the garment?  I've mostly seen skirts belted on so you can guarantee the weight's all on the hips.  Does the weight of it pull on your shoulders?

Lately (prior to DoK this year) I've pointed my fauld directly to the arming coat similar to how Rodney does. I use 8 leather tabs that I attached to the top of the fauld, which ties directly to points on the arming coat - except I have a "belt lace" through the top row of rings that I use to cinch it down above my waist. I don't feel any fauld weight on my shoulders since the belt lace snugs it up. If I had hips wider than my waist, I wouldn't have to do this, but the pointed tabs help keep it in place without feeling the weight at the shoulders.